Mississippi Executes Richard Jordan After Half a Century on Death Row
On Wednesday, 79-year-old Richard Jordan, who had spent almost five decades on death row, was executed by lethal injection at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. His case marks one of the longest intervals between conviction and execution in the state’s history.
A Crime That Shook Gulfport Decades Ago
Jordan was convicted in 1976 for the murder of Edwina Marter, the wife of a Gulfport bank executive. The case drew attention due to its brutal nature and the lengthy standoff that followed. Jordan, who worked at a shipyard, had kidnapped Marter from her home and demanded a ransom of $25,000.
Authorities apprehended Jordan when he attempted to collect the ransom money. Jordan subsequently confessed to the murder and led investigators to Marter’s body hidden in a nearby forest. She had been fatally shot.
Execution Details and Significance
Richard Jordan was pronounced dead at 6:16 pm Central Time, ending his status as Mississippi’s longest-serving and oldest death row inmate. The execution was carried out using lethal injection, the most common method used in the United States.
Context of Recent Executions in the US
Jordan's execution came just one day after Florida put to death Thomas Gudinas, 51, who was convicted in 1995 for the murder of Michelle McGrath. Gudinas was sentenced for killing McGrath, whose body was found after she disappeared from a bar in Orlando.
Florida stands out this year for having the highest number of executions in the country, with seven carried out to date. Nationwide, there have been 25 executions in 2025 so far, including 20 by lethal injection, two by firing squad, and three by nitrogen hypoxia—a controversial method involving suffocation through nitrogen gas.
Rising Debate and Legal Landscape
While some states continue to enforce capital punishment, 23 states have abolished the death penalty, and others like California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have active moratoriums. The use of nitrogen hypoxia, the newest execution technique, has been condemned by United Nations experts as cruel and inhumane.
The recent executions shine a light on divided opinions regarding capital punishment, with some political figures advocating for its expansion, particularly for heinous crimes.
